Keen to know owners and riders' experiences of the new North Sonar. They arrived relatively late to the foiling scene. The first Sonar was a collab with Delta foils and some bits looked a bit outdated. However the new range looks more like it..

New, being the 2022-2023 North Sonar with the:
- new stabilizers s210, s270 etc.. and not s01, s02
- new HA and MA front wings.

I found these reviews by Tucker from Mackite and Gunnar, but they could be biased because one is selling them, and the other is a team rider.





I am particularly interested in the new HA1250 and HA1450 fw's for wingfoil. Also is the carbon mast as good as they say? How does it compare to others? What league are they in? Armstrong? Axis?

Their prices are good and North does have good quality standards. Every wing comes with covers, also the carbon mast. The bag the foil comes with looks like a big bonus:


So what's the verdict on the North Sonar?

Adding also an overview of the entire range which has 'exploded'. It's great when foil brands offer such rich info to know what can make sense. Others are just very poor in this department.

I am loving the new North Sonar lineup.
For reference, I've ridden Cabrinha, Levitaz, F-One and Slingshot wing foils and countless other kite other foils. I have no affiliation with North.

I've had the foil since the beginning of January and have over 30 sessions on it already.
I got the 85cm CF mast with the MA1050, HA850, 60cm fuse and S210 stab for wingfoiling.
All of the components are carbon so no corrosion to worry about. All M8 hardware. The mast is stiff with no ventilation issues. Super solid mast to fuselage connection. All of this come with nice padded covers in a well designed carry case.

I have only been wing foiling for about 6 month and started on the MA1050 but quickly moved to the HA850 and absolutely love it. The HA850 has amazing glide and a decent turning radius for a HA wing. I will definitely size down (HA650/S208) once the rest of the lineup is available. I wish that they made MA front wings in smaller sizes but hopefully this will come.

Thanks Live2Play! That's real useful info! Thanks for the picture too: the finish on those like everything North looks breathtaking! I am seriously warming up to these. I just watched some of the Designer Notes videos on the North Foils YT channel, as well as the Open Sessions videos. Great great content!

This is also printed on the fuselage... reassuring that a company with experience had a hand in developing the system.

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live2play said..
This is also printed on the fuselage... reassuring that a company with experience had a hand in developing the system.

Live2Play, what's your set up like? Rider weight, board and hand wing size, and what conditions do you ride? Flatwater, surf etc?

I've seen one in the flesh and it was beautifully made. The rider loves it and seems to have a very big range. Definitely something I'd consider if buying again.

In very good company! For a latecomer.

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Grantmac said..
I've seen one in the flesh and it was beautifully made. The rider loves it and seems to have a very big range. Definitely something I'd consider if buying again.

Thanks!

Another one!

This is my first wave on the Sonar 1050 , very nice foil right up there with my Cabrhina H1000 although the Cab had a sligtly low stall speed.
BUT I just proned the new FS930 Sonar nicked named the Master Key, I put up a video yesterday but had to pull it down as it's not released Internationally yet. This thing is very special ,900 wing span , carried my 90kg effortlessly in tiny mushy surf and thing just pumps so fast. Up there with the best I've ridden. The mast has to be the stiffest stock mast on the market for it's cord and weight , the whole Sonar construction is also up there with the best. Not ultra-light but definitely not heavy. Didn't ding it but you can tell it going to be killer on the wing , it's just so efficient.

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MProject04 said..
Live2Play, what's your set up like? Rider weight, board and hand wing size, and what conditions do you ride? Flatwater, surf etc?

I'm 75kg riding it on a 60L Fanatic Sky Wing. Riding mostly 15-25kt in wind swell with 3-5m hand wings. Just a heads up that the two Sonar wings that I have like to be forward in the board foil tracks.

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Piros said..

BUT I just proned the new FS930 Sonar nicked named the Master Key, I put up a video yesterday but had to pull it down as it's not released Internationally yet.

When are we going to know more???!

I only had it for 24 hours and unfortunately sh!t surf and no wind . My first wave was just a one foot chip in , it had an amazing smooth lift , not twitchy at all as I rolled off and started pumping straight out to sea against the wind . I have absolutely no afflication with North but "The Master Key FS 930 " is one of the best new HA user friendly wings I've ridden & look forward to some more flight time .

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Piros said..
This is my first wave on the Sonar 1050 , very nice foil right up there with my Cabrhina H1000 although the Cab had a sligtly low stall speed.
BUT I just proned the new FS930 Sonar nicked named the Master Key, I put up a video yesterday but had to pull it down as it's not released Internationally yet. This thing is very special ,900 wing span , carried my 90kg effortlessly in tiny mushy surf and thing just pumps so fast. Up there with the best I've ridden. The mast has to be the stiffest stock mast on the market for it's cord and weight , the whole Sonar construction is also up there with the best. Not ultra-light but definitely not heavy. Didn't ding it but you can tell it going to be killer on the wing , it's just so efficient.

Hey Rob,
"This is my first wave on the Sonar 1050" is that the MA 1050 or the HA 1050 ? hard to make out in the wave but looks fatter like the MA :-)
Thanks

It's the MA 1050 that video is 6 months old .

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Piros said..
I only had it for 24 hours and unfortunately sh!t surf and no wind . My first wave was just a one foot chip in , it had an amazing smooth lift , not twitchy at all as I rolled off and started pumping straight out to sea against the wind . I have absolutely no afflication with North but "The Master Key FS 930 " is one of the best new HA user friendly wings I've ridden & look forward to some more flight time .

FS being 'forward swept'? Like Cloud 9?

Hi,
I'm in the proces of buying my second wing foil board / foil . My first is KT WingDrifter 105l and Duotone Surf 1500 foil.
I have more or less same very good price on NORTH and Cabrinha.
My first choice is NORTH Seek 78L / Sonar MA 1200. carbon 85 mast
My second is new Cabrinha Code v2 5.2 / Fusion X MKII 1240 carbon mast

What are yours recommendations with this brands. I prefer same board / foil. BTW a have Doutone Slicks wings.

Thanks Ivan,.

Hi guys, I'm about to go all in on North foils and get a HA wing. Looking forward to giving some feedback soon. Coming from a Sabfoil background so will be interesting to compare.

Anyone tried the Alu mast? Is it Ok? It looks chunky and heavy. But maybe it's ok for mere mortals like many of us, especially to get started with the range.

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MProject04 said..

Piros said..
I only had it for 24 hours and unfortunately sh!t surf and no wind . My first wave was just a one foot chip in , it had an amazing smooth lift , not twitchy at all as I rolled off and started pumping straight out to sea against the wind . I have absolutely no afflication with North but "The Master Key FS 930 " is one of the best new HA user friendly wings I've ridden & look forward to some more flight time .

FS being 'forward swept'? Like Cloud 9?

I believe the new range is actually called SF - but could still be "swept forward" :)

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randomfoiler said..

MProject04 said..

Piros said..
I only had it for 24 hours and unfortunately sh!t surf and no wind . My first wave was just a one foot chip in , it had an amazing smooth lift , not twitchy at all as I rolled off and started pumping straight out to sea against the wind . I have absolutely no afflication with North but "The Master Key FS 930 " is one of the best new HA user friendly wings I've ridden & look forward to some more flight time .

FS being 'forward swept'? Like Cloud 9?

I believe the new range is actually called SF - but could still be "swept forward" :)

Nope..it's the surf foils (heard that today from a dev rider) .. I was hoping too for something like Cloud 9

I've also narrowed down my next small day DW, and light wind foil to the new North 1250HA New and the Cab 1300 H II. Any feedback would be appreciated before I pull the trigger.

Cant tell about the Cabrinha 1300, which is for sure also an incredible foil ( but also a lot pricier). I've just changed to North and the 1250HA has more Low End than I have asked for. I am 90 kg and the 1150HA would have probably been also enough for my Lightwind needs. But 1250HA and a 7m gets me up on foil in the lightes breeze with ease and is still a fun foil to ride (and that is with their smallest Stabilizer S208..........so the 210 or 270 will probably boost the Low End even more).

Anyone have any insight into when North 2023 will be released? Sounds like a 95cm mast is in the works too.

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tintifax said..
Cant tell about the Cabrinha 1300, which is for sure also an incredible foil ( but also a lot pricier). I've just changed to North and the 1250HA has more Low End than I have asked for. I am 90 kg and the 1150HA would have probably been also enough for my Lightwind needs. But 1250HA and a 7m gets me up on foil in the lightes breeze with ease and is still a fun foil to ride (and that is with their smallest Stabilizer S208..........so the 210 or 270 will probably boost the Low End even more).

Is that the 1250 H new w the 10 aspect ratio or last years? Thanks for the input

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live2play said..
Anyone have any insight into when North 2023 will be released? Sounds like a 95cm mast is in the works too.

and a 100+ too.. I believe 105.. saw it mentioned in the designer notes video.. but that would be for kite I assume?

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Shlogger said..
I've also narrowed down my next small day DW, and light wind foil to the new North 1250HA New and the Cab 1300 H II. Any feedback would be appreciated before I pull the trigger.

I am sharing my unsolicited thoughts :-D because I looked at both 2023 HAs from North and Cab.
- '23 Cab is more expensive than '23 North
- North's foil designer (Uli) is a composites guy with America Cup experience. I think they know what they are doing composites wise.
- The 2023 Cab fuse has a new 'barrel nut'. Brodie tells in an interview with Damien/Gwen that over time the connection can 'wear' and the nut gives extra strength. I don't like this solution. Seems to me that this is a solution to 1) not redesign the fuse for backward compatibility and 2) to still resolve an issue that Cab must have found ( I'm speculating.. but still after one season of H series they add this to the fuse.. while the size of the wings or AR hasn't changed a lot)
- North doesn't need this barrel nut, because they anticipated connection wear with the geo(metrical) locking of mast and fuse. If a bit of wear the geo shape ensures it fits. Also the geo shape distributes the forces onto the fuse + screws and not just screws. I heard from a friend who held the fuse that the North fuse is chunky.. but I suspect it is fat to cope with HA wing forces and ensure the geo lock works.
- the Cab HA and North HA shapes converged, jumping on the trend for HA with anhedral (downward curve), tips flattening out and tapering.
- Finally Mike Raper is a guy with so much experience.. since his days with NP in Hong Kong.. there is a reason why North can offer competitive prices and that's because they've got a very high quality supply chain covered. And that's the result of that experience.

All in all.. I think North is getting this right (and I don't even own a North foil yet hahaha! But also considering to pull that trigger) I've used 3 North Nova wings and have been impressed by the perfection, finishing and balance etc. Yes their products are more userfriendly, accessible, less niche performance perhaps.. (but with 4 kids and a wife I'm happy to keep myself happy within the max 2 hour of wing sessions while not breaking the bank)

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Shlogger said..

tintifax said..
Cant tell about the Cabrinha 1300, which is for sure also an incredible foil ( but also a lot pricier). I've just changed to North and the 1250HA has more Low End than I have asked for. I am 90 kg and the 1150HA would have probably been also enough for my Lightwind needs. But 1250HA and a 7m gets me up on foil in the lightes breeze with ease and is still a fun foil to ride (and that is with their smallest Stabilizer S208..........so the 210 or 270 will probably boost the Low End even more).

Is that the 1250 H new w the 10 aspect ratio or last years? Thanks for the input

Yes, thats the new 1250HA with AR 10

SONAR SF

northkb.com/products/sonar-sf1230-front-wing

We've engineered our SF-Series for super low stall speeds, effortless pumping and surf-style carving.? Ideal for riders wanting more from surf and downwind swells (with or without a wing). The foils' angle of attack change forgiveness means you don't have to be an expert or have perfect pumping technique. ?A refined balance of roll stability and manoeuvrability gives you confidence during pumping and take-offs, and the ability to initiate smooth and powerful rail-to-rail carves. Push it harder. Lip stall and lay down banking turns, knowing tip ventilation is a thing of the past. ?Reduced distance between the mast and front wing makes for faster, tighter pivoting turns. We've kept the span similar between the three sizes, providing the same ride feel across the entire size range. ?A frictionless sensation of glide at slower speeds. Responsive and agile. With intuitive recovery. Wakesurfing ten waves back, dockstarting, prone surfing or mastering the downwind. The Sonar Surf Wing. At one, with it all.?

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MProject04 said..

Shlogger said..
I've also narrowed down my next small day DW, and light wind foil to the new North 1250HA New and the Cab 1300 H II. Any feedback would be appreciated before I pull the trigger.

I am sharing my unsolicited thoughts :-D because I looked at both 2023 HAs from North and Cab.
- '23 Cab is more expensive than '23 North
- North's foil designer (Uli) is a composites guy with America Cup experience. I think they know what they are doing composites wise.
- The 2023 Cab fuse has a new 'barrel nut'. Brodie tells in an interview with Damien/Gwen that over time the connection can 'wear' and the nut gives extra strength. I don't like this solution. Seems to me that this is a solution to 1) not redesign the fuse for backward compatibility and 2) to still resolve an issue that Cab must have found ( I'm speculating.. but still after one season of H series they add this to the fuse.. while the size of the wings or AR hasn't changed a lot)
- North doesn't need this barrel nut, because they anticipated connection wear with the geo(metrical) locking of mast and fuse. If a bit of wear the geo shape ensures it fits. Also the geo shape distributes the forces onto the fuse + screws and not just screws. I heard from a friend who held the fuse that the North fuse is chunky.. but I suspect it is fat to cope with HA wing forces and ensure the geo lock works.
- the Cab HA and North HA shapes converged, jumping on the trend for HA with anhedral (downward curve), tips flattening out and tapering.
- Finally Mike Raper is a guy with so much experience.. since his days with NP in Hong Kong.. there is a reason why North can offer competitive prices and that's because they've got a very high quality supply chain covered. And that's the result of that experience.

All in all.. I think North is getting this right (and I don't even own a North foil yet hahaha! But also considering to pull that trigger) I've used 3 North Nova wings and have been impressed by the perfection, finishing and balance etc. Yes their products are more userfriendly, accessible, less niche performance perhaps.. (but with 4 kids and a wife I'm happy to keep myself happy within the max 2 hour of wing sessions while not breaking the bank)

I heard North's low price is to grow share in a crowded market where they are nowhere.